Construction to begin soon on extra inspection booths at Blue Water Bridge in Port Huron

Fast Facts:
- Construction will begin in early April on new passenger inspection booths at the Blue Water Bridge in Port Huron.
- The booths are expected to ease congestion and provide extra capacity.
- The initiative is being funded jointly by MDOT, BWBC and the U.S. Department of Homeland Security.

March 29, 2012 -- Construction will begin in early April on six inspection booths for passenger vehicles on the U.S. side of the Blue Water Bridge in Port Huron. Once installed, the new booths will help ease congestion until the expanded plaza is constructed and there is additional capacity.

The Michigan Department of Transportation (MDOT) has contracted with Dan's Excavating of Shelby Township on the $1.5 million project. The initiative is a joint partnership with MDOT, the Blue Water Bridge Canada (BWBC) and the U.S. Department of Homeland Security.

Phase one includes construction of three "stacked" booths in lanes 10, 11 and 12 that will result in closing these lanes during construction. U.S.-bound motorists can expect delays during this phase of the improvements. Stacked booths are lined up one right after the other, similar to a fast food restaurant's drive-through. Work on this phase is expected to begin April 9 and will be completed by Memorial Day weekend.

Phase two includes construction of three "staggered" booths that will result in lane 13 being closed when construction starts in late May. Staggered booths allow cars to wait in the same lane, but pull into the first available booth - one of three. Work on this phase will be completed by the end of June, in time for the busy July Fourth holiday.

During both phases there may be intermittent single-lane closures during off-peak times (Monday through Thursday) for paving. As an incentive, work beyond July 4 will result in fines being assessed to the contractor for $5,000 per day.